Sen. Barrasso: Govt Should Provide Obamacare Website Security

If the government requires Americans without healthcare insurance to buy it through Obamacare, the website should provide security protection for consumers, Sen. John Barrasso said Monday.

"People, by law, are mandated to buy government-approved health insurance through the website, or other locations. So, if the government is saying, 'You have to go here and buy,' then you really ought to have some protections," the Wyoming Republican told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

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Shortly after its launch Oct. 1, lawmakers discovered security was an issue with the Obamacare website. Barrasso and five Republican colleagues introduced the Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act in the Senate last week.

In a bipartisan vote Friday, the House approved the security bill that forces the government to inform affected consumers of any possible security breach.

"This is just one step to deal with the whole issue of identity theft. The government has been woefully behind the times in getting this done," he said.

He maintained President Barack Obama opposes the bill, because he is "dug in on this healthcare law." He maintained it was one of the good ideas from Republicans the president had said he would consider.

Barrasso maintained Democrats in the House who did not support the security legislation did so because "the president asked them to not vote for it." Yet, he explained many Democrats are increasingly concerned about aspects of the healthcare law.

"What we're seeing is a cascading number of Democrats, in so many different proposals. More and more, Democrats are jumping on board with Republicans," he said.